


Squoombas

by Beth Harker (Beth_Harker)



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Character Study, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Post canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 15:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19065634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth_Harker/pseuds/Beth%20Harker
Summary: Squoombas = Squip-Roombas.





	Squoombas

“Its favorite color is turquoise.” 

Michael looks up from his computer, to where Jeremy is standing in the doorway of their bedroom, back straight, and hands jammed in the pockets of his jeans. 

“Turquoise?” Michael repeats, carefully noncommittal. 

“Turquoise. The other day that song… y’know, the one where the chorus goes ‘hey love, you got me on my knees, hey—” Jeremy stops abruptly, and eyes scrunching shut as his body tightens. “—I got that wrong. It's not _hey love_ , it's _Layla_ , and anyway, that's its favorite song.” 

“You okay?” Michael asks, making a mental note to remove anything by Eric Clapton from his playlists. Jeremy’s Squip has been getting hella opinionated lately, and in a weird ass turn of events, most of its opinions have nothing to do with Jeremy. 

Jeremy nods. He doesn't move from the doorway. He's facing Michael, but his eyes are glazed. 

“Jer?” 

“Just tired.” 

Michael pats the space next to him on the bed. Jeremy runs a hand up through his hair. He stares down at his feet a little longer than necessary, before taking off his shoes in a jerky motion, like he's just remembered that's what he needs to do. 

“It's a learning computer,” Jeremy says, sitting down next to Michael. “I guess lately it's been learning to calm the fuck down and let me live my life, but it's got to entertain itself in the meantime. God forbid it get bored. I could work with that. Revoke privileges if it gives me grief. Give it control of the TV once in a while if it plays nice.” 

“You could do that.” 

Jeremy leans into Michael. After a few quiet minutes, he begins to rub his palms against the knees of his jeans. Jeremy in motion is a good thing. Over six years have passed since junior year, but that period of being electrocuted as punishment whenever he fidgeted had a profound effect on Jeremy, which Michael keeps in mind whenever the Squip makes itself ridiculous and borderline likable, by suddenly developing an almost child-like passion for home gardening programs or whatever. Besides, even with the Squip being less outwardly nefarious these days, harboring a parasite that's decided to embark upon a journey of self-discovery is exhausting for Jeremy. 

“You’re not the only one this is happening to,” Michael says. As usual, he's been keeping a close watch on the Network, where he discusses Squip developments with other people fighting the good fight against their technological menace. A lot has been going on lately. Really weird shit. 

“Do all the Squips like turquoise?” 

“Nope. Different colors.” 

“It'd kinda be easier to dismiss if they all liked turquoise,” Jeremy says. “Then it could be just a programming thing.” 

“Get this. We've been finding out about other tech designed by the company that made Squips. Back in the early 90s, they tried to make intelligent vacuum cleaners, like roombas, but with Squips in them. They were supposed to be mega smart. Way more communicative than actual roombas.” 

“And somehow nobody’s ever heard of them.” 

“Their objective was to make the cleanest house possible. One accomplished this by killing the people it lived with, since humans made all the mess. Another burnt the house down, to purify it in flames or whatever. You’d think those would've been wake-up calls for the company not to put their trash robots inside people’s brains, but no.” 

Jeremy cocks his head to the side, like he's listening to something. 

“It says humans are supposed to be a failsafe,” Jeremy explains. “Computers are designed to do whatever it takes to reach their goals. If Squips were only being taken by people strong enough to keep control of them…”

Michael rolls his eyes. “They'd still be trash robots. As evidenced by the fact that you’re plenty strong enough to keep control of yours, and it still screws things up every chance it gets.” 

Jeremy shrugs. More silence, and then: 

“You think they called the Squip-Roombas Squoombas?” 

“If they didn't, they missed a golden opportunity.” 

Jeremy taps his temple. “It thinks that's a stupid name.” 

“Y’know what that means?” 

“That's what we’re going to call it from now on?” 

“Exactly.”


End file.
